Study of the impact of a new hurdle technology composed of electro‐activated solution and low heat treatment on the canned pea and corn quality and microbial safety

The objective of this work was to evaluate the quality of sterilised canned pea and corn in electro‐activated brine solutions at moderate temperatures. The lowest change in vitamin C was associated with the lowest heat treatment, while the short treatment time resulted in significant changes in texture and colour of vegetables. Best texture profile was obtained with the acid electro‐activated brine solution for pea and corn. The neutral electro‐activated brine solution resulted in a less firm texture for pea and corn. The green colour and brightness of canned pea were higher when neutral solution was used (a* = ?8.4 ± 0.3) than for the acidic one (a* = ?3.7 ± 0.6). The yellowness of corn was better with the neutral electro‐activated brine solution (b* = 36.32 ± 1.24) than with the acidic one (b* = 28.44 ± 2.39). Thirty‐three percent decrease of energy consumption was obtained using the electro‐activation technology.     

Modelling the change in colour of broccoli and green beans during blanching

The green colour of vegetables changes considerably during heat treatments like blanching. Green beans from two different countries and growing seasons, and the stems and florets of broccoli were heat-treated from 40 up to 96°C. The colour was monitored with the CIE-Lab system. Expressing the green colour as −a*/b* proved to considerably reduce the observed variance within measuring samples. It can be considered as a kind of internal standardisation. The colour was modelled by a simplified kinetic mechanism of two consecutive reactions: one that increases colour, one that degrades colour. First, all data sets were analysed separately using non-linear regression. The obtained percentage variance accounted for (R²_adj) ranged from 75.7 to 90.8%. Allowing separate initial conditions but with the kinetic parameters in common, the data of the same vegetable type (green beans and broccoli separately) could be pooled and analysed together (R²_adj=87.4 and 77.2%, respectively). The kinetic parameters obtained were so similar that a complete pooled and generic analysis was possible even for green beans and broccoli together. These findings greatly validate the developed model and indicate that the formation and degradation of visible colour in vegetables is governed by processes related to the colouring compounds (like chlorophyll and chlorophilides), irrespective of the vegetables under study.     

Vegetables antioxidant losses during industrial processing and refrigerated storage

Twenty-five vegetables (artichoke, asparagus, beetroot, broad bean, broccoli, Brussels sprout, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chicory, cucumber, eggplant, endive, garlic, green bean, leek, lettuce, maize, onion, pea, pepper, radish, spinach, Swiss chard and zucchini) were used to evaluate their antioxidant activity. All fresh vegetables studied were able to scavenge lipoperoxyl and hydroxyl radicals. All the vegetables also presented good total capacity antioxidant by TEAC assay except cucumber, endive, carrot and zucchini.Vegetables stored (7 days) in a home refrigerator recorded the same antioxidant activity as fresh samples, except cucumber and zucchini (lipid peroxidation) and broccoli, Brussels sprout and leek (TEAC).Canned vegetables showed a more pronounced loss of antioxidant activity than frozen vegetables compared with fresh vegetables.During the shelf life of the processed vegetables (8 months for frozen and 18 months for canned vegetables), some products showed losses (19–48%) of their lipoperoxyl radical scavenging capacity and total antioxidant activity.     

Enzymatic extraction of oil from yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) by‐products: a comparison with other extraction methods

This study evaluated the quality of oil extracted from yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) by enzymatic hydrolysis (EHO) compared with oil extracted by traditional methods, such as the physical method of cooking and pressing after fishmeal production and the chemical solvent method. The oil extracted by EHO presented the lowest acidity (1.96% oleic acid) and peroxide indexes (5.14 mEq O₂ kg^?1 of oil) and the highest levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (6.05g 100 g^?1) and docosahexaenoic acid (27.15 g 100 g^?1), two omega‐3 fatty acids with high nutritional value. Importantly, oil extraction from yellowfin tuna heads using EHO produced oil rich in omega‐3s with no oxidation. This study shows that this extraction method greatly increases the value of fish by‐products and increases the competitiveness of the fishing industry.     

Advances in the use of white light on broccoli and kale postharvest shelf life

In this work, the effect of irradiation with three different intensities of white light-emitting diodes (LED) on the quality and senescence of refrigerated broccoli and green and red kale was studied. A high increase in weight loss was observed in samples exposed to high (80 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹) and low (10 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹) LED intensity. Samples stored under mid-intensity (30 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹) significantly reduced the change of total color (∆E), hue angle, and lightness (L*) values. Broccoli florets and green kale subjected to mid-intensity illumination retained higher chlorophyll levels than the other treatments (P < 0.05), and about 30% more compared to the dark stored samples. These differences were even more evident in red kale. Mid-intensity illumination also markedly reduced sugar losses and improved carotenoid contents. As a whole, results show that the selected intensity of white light used for postharvest illumination has a key influence on treatment efficacy.Industrial relevancePostharvest shelf life of green vegetables is very limited and there is a need to use environmentally friendly tools to extend it. The use of white light during storage has been proven to be a clean and non-chemical methodology to delay vegetable senescence, but the appropriate illumination conditions to maximize the quality of unprocessed vegetables are still unknown. In the present work, the effect of different lighting conditions on the visual and nutraceutical quality of refrigerated broccoli and green and purple kale was studied, and the best condition was defined. The selected light intensity may be considered for fresh market storage.     

Search for predictors of cooking quality of marrowfat pea (Pisum sativum L) cultivars

The grain from 116 marrowfat pea breeding lines was assessed subjectively using current visual methods and then analysed objectively for L*a*b* colour, hydration capacity and cooking quality. The data show that the current method of selecting genotypes by subjective methods is not able to select marrowfat peas for specific processing uses. However, an objective measure, the ?a* value of the dry grain, was a very good predictor (p < 0.001) for the hydrated and cooked green colour. Cultivars which have a high hydration coefficient may be more suitable for canning and deep frying because they hydrate to a larger size, while cultivars with a high bulk density and a darker green grain are more suitable for use as extrusion products. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Influence of blanching and low temperature preservation strategies on antioxidant activity and phytochemical content of carrots, green beans and broccoli

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of blast freezing and blanching in combination followed by chilling, on the antioxidant activity (ARP), phenols, ascorbic acid and colour of broccoli, carrots and green beans. No significant changes (p > 0.05) in ARP of blanched frozen (BLFR) broccoli, carrot and green beans were observed. In contrast, UBFR (unblanched frozen) treatments caused a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in ARP and ascorbic acid content of vegetable samples. BLFR treated samples had better retention of antioxidant activity and ascorbic acid as compared to UBLR counterparts at chill storage (4 °C) for 7 days. However, no significant changes were observed in phenol content for all vegetables. Ascorbic acid decreased exponentially for both blanched and unblanched samples. The reaction rate constant (k) increased from 1.06 × 10⁻¹ day⁻¹ to 1.17 × 10⁻¹ day⁻¹ for blanched and unblanched broccoli florets and from 4.6 × 10⁻³ day⁻¹ to 1.98 × 10⁻¹ day⁻¹ for blanched and unblanched carrots during 7 days storage. Result presented here indicates greater stability of nutritional parameters for BLFR samples compared to UBFR samples during 7 days storage at 4 °C for all vegetables.     

Phospholipase A2 and antioxidant enzyme activities in normal and PSE pork

In order to reveal the relationship between phospholipase A₂ and antioxidant enzymes and drip loss in pork, the study was designed to examine the effects of phospholipase A₂ and antioxidant enzymes on the water-holding capacity of pork during postmortem chilling. Six PSE and RFN samples (longissimus muscle) were used to determine the activities of phospholipase A₂ (tPLA_2, cPLA₂ + sPLA₂ and iPLA₂), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and GSH-Px, and acid phospholipase. The results showed that pH_1 h and pH_24 h from PSE pork were lower (p < 0.01) than for normal pork (RFN), but the L* value at 1 h and 24 h postmortem, TBARS content, drip loss at 48 h and 96 h, cooking loss, tPLA₂ activity and iPLA₂ were higher (p < 0.01) than of normal pork. Correlation analysis indicated that drip loss at 48 h was negatively related to pH_1 h (p < 0.01) and pH_24 h (p < 0.01) but positively to T_1 h (p < 0.01) and the activities of total phospholipase A₂ (p < 0.05) and calcium-independent phospholipases A₂ (p < 0.01). The tPLA₂ and GSH-Px play important roles in drip loss.     

Detection of aflatoxins in tea samples based on a class‐specific monoclonal antibody

An enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a monoclonal antibody was established to detect aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) in tea. The antibody was prepared from a hybridoma derived by fusing Sp2/0‐Ag14 myeloma cells and immunised spleen B cells. The effects from pH, ionic strength, and organic solvents on immunoassay were optimised and the 50% inhibition (IC₅₀) value was 0.057 ± 0.007 ng mL^?1. Spiked black and green tea samples at 10, 20 and 50 ng g^?1 levels of AFB₁ were detected with this proposed ELISA. The recoveries for black tea samples ranged from 68.5% to 117.7% and 73.5 to 114.3% for green tea samples. This immunoassay showed no cross‐reactions with other mycotoxin family but good recognition with related aflatoxins. These results indicate that the ELISA assay could be used as a screening method for aflatoxin detection in tea samples.     

Monitoring colour,volatiles in the headspace and enzyme activity to assess the quality of broccoli florets (Brassica oleracea L. italica cv. Bellstar and Legacy) during postharvest storage

The research objective was to study whether volatile organic compounds released in the headspace could be used to assess the broccoli quality (Brassica oleracea L. italica cv. Bellstar and Legacy) during postharvest storage (23 °C for 7 days) and correlated with colour change and the activity of peroxidase/POD, ascorbic acid oxidase/AAO and lipoxygenase/LOX. Volatile organic compounds were monitored using PTR‐MS. Methanol had the highest concentration compared with other volatiles released in the headspace that significantly increased during senescence. The methanol concentration was approximately 500 ppbv before the broccoli colour began to change from green to yellow. The concentration of methanol in the headspace increased to 1000–1100 ppbv for Bellstar and Legacy when the colour became yellowish. LOX had high correlation (0.91 and 0.83 for Bellstar and Legacy, respectively) with volatiles for both cultivars, but not for POD. Methanol production is proposed as the best volatile marker to assess the broccoli quality.     

The effect of vegetable and spice addition on the acrylamide content and antioxidant activity of innovative cereal products

The aim of the work was to assess the impact of vegetable and spice addition on the acrylamide content and antioxidant activity of extruded cereal crisps. The foods were based on grain ingredients, such as brown rice, whole grain flour, wheat bran, with different vegetables. Products from one group contained green vegetables, such as broccoli and zucchini; garlic was included as a flavour additive (0.75–1.50%). The second group of crisps consisted of similar cereal ingredients with pumpkin and cinnamon; additionally ginger was included as a flavour additive (0.75–1.50%). The results indicate that the production of a new, innovative product with appropriate nutritional value and acceptable quality is a complex process. The production process significantly changed the nutritional value of the product. The content of acrylamide in zucchini and broccoli crisps was relatively low; ranging from 78 to 86 μg/kg of product. The addition of garlic did not significantly affect the acrylamide content in the final product. For cereal–pumpkin crisps, the acrylamide content was 7 times higher in comparison with zucchini and broccoli products. The acrylamide content in pumpkin and ginger crisps exceeded the benchmark level. The antioxidant activity of the pumpkin product was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than for crisps with green vegetables.     

KINETIC MODELINGS OF BROCCOLI COLOR CHANGES DURING CHILLED STORAGE

This work studied the kinetic models of broccoli color changes during storage. The Commission Internationale d'Eclairage ([CIE] International Commission on Illumination)‐L*a*b* color system parameters a*, b*, H°, total color difference (TCD), chlorophyll content and yellowness degree were used to determine the color changes under the storage conditions at 0, 5 and 10C. The broccoli ball was packed with high‐density polyethylene film. The experimental results showed that the package greatly promoted the activation energy of b* value in broccoli while delaying the respiration peak. The nonlinear regression analysis showed that the rate constants of color parameters b* and TCD were following a first‐order Arrhenius‐type reaction depending on temperature, and the polynomial model was suitable for the changes of a* and H° value. The observed results demonstrated that the variation of color parameters was in accordance with chlorophyll content and yellowness degree in stored broccoli, suggesting the possibility of a computer‐vision system application on the color grading of broccoli.     

Physicochemical characterisation and oxidative stability of refined hoki oil,unrefined hoki oil and unrefined tuna oil

Physicochemical characterisation and oxidative stability of refined hoki oil, unrefined hoki oil and unrefined tuna oil were carried out in the present study. Tuna oil contains a higher percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (42.57%) than the hoki oils (28.79–30.13%), which have higher percentages of monounsaturated fatty acids (45.02–47.16%). All oils showed a good ratio of n‐3 to n‐6 fatty acid (7.01–8.10). Cholesterol contents in the unrefined hoki (5149.40 μg g^?1) and tuna (2045.48 μg g^?1) oils were higher than the refined hoki oil (1411.27 μg g^?1). Tuna has a higher concentration of natural α‐tocopherol (752.49 μg g^?1) but lower concentration of vitamin A (110.99 μg g^?1) than unrefined hoki oil (151.44 μg g^?1 and 997.60 μg g^?1, respectively). Higher percentages of unsaponifiable matter were found in the hoki oils (4.90–7.24%) compared with the tuna oil (0.56%). The hoki oils appear more yellow than the tuna oil, which is darker by comparison. Moisture, p‐anisidine value and free fatty acid contents in the hoki oils were lower than the tuna oil. Other indicators of oxidative stability showed that the hoki oils were more stable than the tuna oil.     

Effect of Processing on Major Carotenoid Levels in Corn (Zea mays) and Selected Vegetables: Bioavailability of Lutein and Zeaxanthin from Processed Corn in Mice

Corn and vegetables are good sources of vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids. This study reports (1) the effect of processing—blanching, drying, and milling on major carotenoids—lutein (L), zeaxanthin (Z), and β-carotene levels in corn (Zea mays), onion stalk (Allium cepa L), broccoli (Brassica oleracea L), and capsicum (Capsicum annum L), and (2) the bioavailability of L and Z from processed corn in mice. A group of mice were fed with diet containing processed or unprocessed corn (L + Z source) or purified L (control) for 3 weeks. Results from HPLC analysis indicate that the levels of L + Z (19.6–118.5%) and β-carotene (1–84%) were higher in blanched samples compared to fresh samples whereas drying resulted in lower L + Z level in onion stalk (45.5%) and capsicum (36.4%) and was higher in corn (22%) and broccoli (14%) over blanching. The level of β-carotene was slightly higher in broccoli on drying than blanching. Milling did not alter carotenoid levels in any of the samples. Feeding processed corn (blanched + dried + milled) resulted in nonsignificant change in the plasma L + Z level but significantly higher in liver (58.7%) than in control group. Similarly, the level of L + Z in plasma (12.1%) and liver (14.9%) of mice fed on processed corn was higher compared to unprocessed-corn-fed group. Based on the above results, it is concluded that the extractability and bioavailability of L + Z can be improved by blanching corn before its consumption.     

Incidence of Listeria monocytogenes in Market Samples of Fresh and Frozen Vegetables

Samples of the outer portions of fresh beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, head lettuce, leaf lettuce, mushrooms, and potatoes, as well as frozen green beans, green peas, pea pods, and spinach were examined for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes using a 7-day enrichment procedure at 30°C. Samples were streaked on modified McBrides agar, and isolates were tested for characterization reactions. Fresh carrots, lettuce, and mushrooms, and frozen spinach were also examined using a cold enrichment procedure at 4°C. Samples were taken weekly, streaked onto modified McBrides agar, and were characterized. It was determined that no L. monocytogenes was detectable in any of these samples.     

Effect of dry heating with ionic gums on physicochemical properties of starch

Corn starch, potato starch, pea starch were impregnated with ionic gums (sodium alginate, CMC, and xanthan, 1% based on starch solids) and heat-treated in a dry state for 0, 2, or 4 h at 130 °C. Effects of the dry heating on paste viscosity (RVA), microstructure and thermal properties were examined. Dry heat treatment with ionic gums reduced the pasting temperature of the three starches. Heating with xanthan increased the paste viscosity of corn and potato starch. With heat treatment, the paste viscosity of all the starch-sodium alginate mixtures decreased. Heating with CMC increased the paste viscosity of potato starch, but decreased that of corn and pea starch. After dry-heating, To, Tp and Tc of potato starch with ionic gums decreased significantly. SEM of potato starch with CMC showed that the gel structure got compacter after drying-heating. Heat treatment obviously improved the functional properties of the three starches.     

Beer Clarification by Novel Ceramic Hollow‐Fiber Membranes: Effect of Pore Size on Product Quality

In this work, the crossflow microfiltration performance of rough beer samples was assessed using ceramic hollow‐fiber (HF) membrane modules with a nominal pore size ranging from 0.2 to 1.4 μm. Under constant operating conditions (that is, transmembrane pressure difference, TMP = 2.35 bar; feed superficial velocity, v_S = 2.5 m/s; temperature, T = 10 °C), quite small steady‐state permeation fluxes (J^*) of 32 or 37 L/m²/h were achieved using the 0.2‐ or 0.5‐μm symmetric membrane modules. Both permeates exhibited turbidity <1 EBC unit, but a significant reduction in density, viscosity, color, extract, and foam half‐life with respect to their corresponding retentates. The 0.8‐μm asymmetric membrane module might be selected, its corresponding permeate having quite a good turbidity and medium reduction in the aforementioned beer quality parameters. Moreover, it exhibited J^* values of the same order of magnitude of those claimed for the polyethersulfone HF membrane modules currently commercialized. The 1.4‐μm asymmetric membrane module yielded quite a high steady‐state permeation flux (196 ± 38 L/m²/h), and a minimum decline in permeate quality parameters, except for the high levels of turbidity at room temperature and chill haze. In the circumstances, such a membrane module might be regarded as a real valid alternative to conventional powder filters on condition that the resulting permeate were submitted to a final finishing step using 0.45‐ or 0.65‐μm microbially rated membrane cartridges prior to aseptic bottling. A novel combined beer clarification process was thus outlined.     

Physiochemical and nutritional characteristics,bioaccessibility and sensory acceptance of baked crackers containing broccoli co-products

The effects of the inclusion of broccoli co-products into crackers on the bioaccessibility as well as their overall physical and nutritional quality were evaluated. Crackers were formulated using a 12.5 or 15.0% flour substitution level. Broccoli-containing crackers presented higher specific volume and spread ratio and lower weight and specific volume than control crackers (P < 0.05). Crackers containing broccoli co-products showed an increased green hue and a higher colour intensity (P < 0.05). Incorporation of broccoli co-products into crackers significantly increased the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity (P < 0.05). A simulated gastrointestinal digestion suggested that the amount of phenolic and antioxidant compounds released during digestion might be higher than what could be expected from common water-organic extracts. The incorporation of broccoli co-products into baked crackers would not only reduce the amount of food discarded as waste but also promote health and open novel commercial opportunities to food processors.     

Effect of Drying on the Color of Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus L.) Leaves

The effect of drying conditions on the color of tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus L.) leaves was studied. Tarragon leaves were dried at temperatures of 40 to 90 °C with a constant airflow of 0.6 m/s. The samples were collected at 7%, 10%, 20%, and 30% moisture content wet basis for evaluation of the color change. The color parameters of fresh and dried leaves were measured by a colorimeter. The individual parameters of L*a*b* and L*C*h° color systems were evaluated and h° proved to be the best parameter to monitor color change. The smallest change of the color parameters was observed at 40 °C, in which temperature was low, and also at 90 °C, when drying time was short. The biggest change occurred at the temperatures of 50 to 70 °C. Most of the color change happened before the material reaches 35% moisture content. The combination of drying time and temperature defines the change of color.